The seeds of Philly-based rock trio En Route came from guitar player and songwriter P.J. Carroll, of the punk four-piece Clique. Carroll teamed up with Soul Glo’s Rubin Polo on bass and Sorority Noise’s Charlie Singer on drums for a set of slightly downtrodden, guitar-infused songs self-described as “early ’90s slow core” on their EP, Then is a Song. Continue reading →

It seems that Philly punk four-piece, Clique, has a bit of a stalker situation in the new video for their song “Usage.” An opening shot introduces a man in his car, swigging back shots from a flask and getting his video camera ready. Creepiness immediately ensues when it becomes apparent that the man is stalking and filming the band members. Continue reading →

Clique is a band that makes itself heard by being the restrained voice in a room full of shouting. On this year’s Burden Piece LP the local four piece built upon the slow-burning-punk foundation that made 2014’s self-titled debut such an instant and recurring favorite, delivering songs that reach out through catchy guitar riffs and pull you in through relatable, introspective lyrics. “Wishful Thinking” is a sub-two minute centerpiece on the Top Shelf Records effort, and today we have the premiere of a video for the track.

Typically speaking, basement scene bands with two-minute-long songs tend to play hard, fast and aggressively. Not so with Philadelphia four-piece Clique. Over two years and just as many LPs, the band has developed its own unique brand of slow punk; songs that present an idea – abandonment, loneliness, empathy and apathy – stew over it gradually for a burning moment, and move onward to the next existential concern.

Clique’s latest, Burden Piece, came out in May on TopShelf Records, and delivers on the promise of its 2014 self titled debut which, as our Julie Miller put it earlier this year, was pretty much an instant hit around town. You’ll hear bits of Pavement and Weezer in the new songs, delivered with an intense sense of introversion and self-reflection by dueling singer-guitarists P.J. Carroll and Brandon Shipp, drummer Tom Anthony and bassist Travis Arterburn.

The tagline, per their label, is “regular music for regular people” – and it’s a fitting one. Continue reading →

At the end of 2014, local outfit Clique shared a debut self-titled EP that was a pretty instant hit around town. Now the four-piece is readying a follow-up full-length called Burden Piece, set for release on May 27th via Topshelf Records. Impose Magazine shared a premiere of LP cut “Top Field” earlier this week, which comes with a video you can check out below.

The four twenty-something guys of the Philly band Clique wanted to break in their new outdoor chairs that their friend Michael Kuhn (aka experimental percussionist Nah) trash-picked. So we sat on bassist Travis Arterburn’s porch and talked as the four-piece band smoked cigarettes and slung back a few beers and the sun began to set.

Since releasing their self-titled EP, Clique has made a name for themselves within Philadelphia basements and DIY spaces. This isn’t their first take as a band, as members of the band come from different groups formerly existing in Philadelphia.

Singer/guitarist PJ Carroll played in Girl Scouts (which played their last show last June) and The Hundred Acre Woods while Arterburn played in the now defunct Ted Nguyent.

Their sound has changed pretty drastically. Ted Nguyent was a fast-paced punk rock group, in which Arterburn played drums. Girl Scouts was straight-forward math rock and The Hundred Acre Woods had an indie folk punk sound.

And then there’s Clique: an emo rock group with dark guitar riffs and strong basslines. Continue reading →

Glocca Morra has remained pretty dormant the past two years, beside two short tours with Owls and Joyce Manor. Back in November, they publicly announced that they were disbanding, a hard-hitting moment for much of the Philly music scene. But it was something to be expected as well, with Glocca Morra members starting or joining new bands like Spirit of the Beehive, Dogs on Acid and Ghost Gum.

From a bedroom decorated with dilapidated posters and a messy nightstand, indie-emo four-piece Clique take you on a tour of a Philly apartment in a music video for “Sucker.” The video – which was directed by Klein Bros. Audiovisual – uses mostly natural lighting and slo-mo shots of the Philly DIY group playing throughout the apartment. The self-reflecting track is off their debut EP, released last fall and available on Bandcamp. Continue reading →

Since releasing the excellent Oh, My Heart record this winter, Philly’s Shannen Moser has been playing a lot of gigs regionally and nationally — including a tour with Sorority Noise — and filming a lot of videos. Rather than go the traditional music video promo route, Moser teamed up with Good Boy Audiovisual to shoot site-specific performances of several of the album’s songs all around Philly, from Penn’s Landing to Grey’s Philly, parks to post-industrial asphalt. Tonight, Moser can be found in the cozy enclosure of PhilaMOCA, opening the show for Clique and Peaer. Tickets for the all-ages show are available now, more information can be found at the show’s Facebook event page.Continue reading →

About The Key

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH

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About The Key

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH